Tag: tom petty

The waiting is the
hardest part. Just ask our French bulldog pup, Walter—whether it’s for food,
treats, to go outside, or to play… it’s not an easy thing. Waiting isn’t just
hard for dogs; we humans also struggle with delayed gratification. It may be waiting for the light to turn green
at an intersection, waiting for our turn in line at a store, or for us
Wisconsinites, waiting for springtime to come after a cold, snowy winter.

We live in a world where access
to just about anything we need or desire is at our fingertips and can be
brought to our doorsteps via on-line shopping. Even the simplest of tasks in
our homes can be performed via a virtual assistant, but God is not “virtual”—He
is spiritual and He is real (John 4:24).

Funny thing about God, even in our high-tech world today, we still have to wait on His timing and ways. God doesn’t operate with our ’prayers on demand’. We can’t just say, “God”, like “Siri” or “Alexa” and get a response (Isa. 55:8-9, 29:16). God does desire for us to continually bring our requests to Him in prayer regarding all things in our lives. We can have confidence that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and will answer us in His perfect time (Phil. 4:6, 1 John 5:14-15).

That brings us to the kind of waiting that pleases
God—patient waiting. Patient
waiting doesn’t tap toes, pace or fidget. Patient waiting doesn’t whine, worry
or carry on in an angry rant. Patient waiting requires a demeanor of stillness.
“Rest (be silent-wait or stand still) in the Lord and wait
patiently for Him (Ps. 37:7).
Here’s how the rest of verse 7 and into verse 8 goes, “Do not fret
because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked
schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only
causes harm.” Our prayer should be
as the Psalmist, “Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in
Your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all
the day” (Ps. 25:4-5). The Lord
Himself exemplifies all longsuffering (patient waiting), not wanting any to
perish, but all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth (2 Pet. 3:9,
1 Tim. 2:4). It’s in knowing and
trusting in God’s Word that will encourage us to patiently wait as these verses
suggest: Ps. 39:7, 62:5, 130:5-6; Rom. 8:25; Phil. 3:20.

There’s a lot to be learned in
the wait —

•Sometimes
we find out that what we desire is not within God’s will for our lives. Many
times as He closes one door, another one (that we may have been unaware of) is
opened.

•Sometimes
we learn that we have to accept the things God’s allowed us to have control of
and let go of what we don’t (that includes other people & the choices they
make).

•For whatever reasons, God only knows, some things we even patiently wait for never come in this lifetime. But God is faithful to those who patiently endure (Heb. 6:15, Lam. 3:25, James 5:10-11).

Waiting
on the Lord (rather than ceasing to strive in our own flesh) enables our
strength to be renewed and our hearts to be strengthened (Isa. 40:31, Ps.
27:14).

So—“Wait on the Lord; be of
good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Ps.
27:14).